Anderson, Lewis In Contract Negotiations

It appears that contract negotiations for two of the Cleveland Browns’ core players are under way; according to team general manager Phil Savage on his weekly radio segment Thursday on WTAM-AM, a Cleveland radio station, contract negotiations for quarterback Derek Anderson and running back Jamal Lewis have began in earnest.

You can expect Savage to offer initially a long-term deal for Anderson – not a “break-the-bank” deal, mind you – mindful of the fact that Brady Quinn is waiting in the wings. Savage has 2 options at his disposal: the aforementioned long-term deal, or the Browns could offer the highest tender, which is $2.562 million in 2008.

The tender would bring the team first- and third-round picks if Cleveland elected not to match any offers for Anderson; meanwhile, there’s no doubt that Lewis will want a long-termm deal of his own, especially after the season that he had. Lewis earned $5 million last season, incidentally.